Edward Hopper in Maine

OK, I'm prejudiced. My father, who was from Brunswick, Maine, loved Hopper. So, I couldn't resist capturing the banner in front of the Tondreau Block.

Far better than any self-referential photo opp is the "Edward Hopper in Maine" exhibit at the Bowdoin College Museum of Art until October 16. The 32 oil sketches, done on Monhegan Island from 1916 to 1919, were revelations. Splendid. Generous use of paint. Humbling. Dare I say abstract? Fresh. Does the painting below put you in mind a bit of Richard Diebenkorn?


The portions that I saw of ancillary film, made for The National Gallery of Art in Washington, were revelatory. And the tidbits gleaned from a podcast interview with Carroll Moore, the producer of the film, were reassuring to those of us who can't get started. When Hopper was blocked, he went to the movies.

Screenshot of Hopper's Monhegan painting is from the Bowdoin College Art Museum website.

Decidedly Retro

I mentioned to Douglas, a scary-good designer, that Pat and I were going to my Dad's hometown of Brunswick, Maine to visit my mother. Douglas replied that his brother and a niece (?) had checked out Bowdoin, the eminent college (and alma mater of famous Maine achievers like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, Joshua Robert Peary, and Donald MacMillan).

Douglas also noted that his family thought the school was fine, but ! ugh! the town. As much as I love the the place from many happy childhood memories, I must say he sort of has a point. One new / old thing we discovered while in Brunswick was candlepin bowling. Say what? Once a hangout for those good-time guys, the Knights of Columbus, it's now a scene for kiddie parties. Note those great French Canadian lane names.

Perhaps an "A"

On the other hand, Shaw's grocery store outside of Brunswick Maine gets an "A" for correct grammar. Perhaps a denizen of Bowdoin College rules the communications?